Government to industrialise rural districts soon – Hajia Mahama

Member of Parliament for Nalerigu-Gambaga, Hajia Alima Mahama, has said the Akufo-Addo-led government is committed to industrialising rural districts in the country within the shortest possible time.

She said the 2017 budget statement presented to Parliament has outlined the industrialisation plan of the government, which she urged all Ghanaians to tap into to reap the benefits what would accrue from it.

Contributing to the debate on the budget in Parliament Tuesday, Hajia Mahama said money needed for such industrialisation drive has been made available.

“If I were you, I would have gone to my area and mobilize my communities for the one district one factory, one constituency one million dollars,” she told her colleagues, especially the minority side.

Hajia Mahama who is also the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, urged the MPs to take advantage of the projects that would be undertaken in their respective areas, particularly the government’s one district, one factory project. She called on the MPs to support the government’s rural industrialization programme as well as the agricultural programmes which she noted would create job and food for the people.

She said the Infrastructure Poverty Eradication Programme will put results right in the community, adding the One million dollars for each constituency will not in any way affect the District Assembly Common Fund. Contrary to fears expressed by the Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak, she said the District Assembly Common Fund will not be reduced.

Earlier, Mubarak announced on behalf of the Minority that they were not going to support the approval of the budget statement on the fears that the Common Fund and GETFUND were going to be slashed.

Hajia Mahama expressed concerns the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies were hard pressed of finances. She noted they were not able to track properties to collect property rates due to poor address systems.

The Minister assured that government will map the entire country and provide digital address system, adding the budget statement presented has huge prospects for increasing revenue for the country.